The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-06-10
THE OHURCaEs IHCREAsIHG.

The New York Independent has just
collected and published the statistics
OF the various denominations OF
Christians in the United States, and
the growth therein stated, Of
the last four year,, must be
very satisfactory to the members, the
lsborinR and poorly paid priests and
ministers especially. The total mem.
bership Of the churches Of all oreeds
is $4,000, 900, nearly one.half the pres
emit population Of the Union, which is
set down at 60OOO.OO0. There are
1872. 4S5 churches and 91,oll regular
priests and preachers. We doubt II
any other country in the world can
make such an exhibit as this, or II the
s,al ma 1if ,sted by these $4,000, 1000
can be matched anywhere. In no
other country is there 80 much
heartiness In support Of the churches
as In this. Men and women give
freely and with full hands to build
churches and maintain missions.
Every church IL supported by volun-
tsry contributions. and these are as
regular as the years. But, returning
to the figures, which are 80 enoour-
aging to pious people, we learn from
the statistics of the churches Of the
United States made four years ago
tia, a. that time there were 1850
churches, 8l,7l7 ministers and 1891
178 com municantS, including 9, s32, 1854
Roman Catholics, These figures do not
Include Mormons or Jews. The year
books Of 1886 show that the same re-
ligious bodies now number 1872, 435
churches, 9l,9l1 ministers and 49,
0l8,977 communicates, allowing the
Catholic population to number
100000. The net gain Of four
years Ia thus ehown to be 1925
churches, or at the rate of ten aad
one-halt per day; l,6l8,799 Conmuni.
cauts, or at the rate Of 1ll7 every day,
aud 1914 ministers, or more than
2500s year. Among the various de-
nominations, the Roman Catholics
stand first, with membership OF
100000. The fourteen different
Methodist organisations come next,
with total membership OF 4 $50, 1858 ;
the BAptists third, with 3,727,O2O;
PresbyterlAns fourth, with 1852, 436;
Lutheiaus 9Th, with $50, 1885; Oongre.
ratlonalists sixth, with 4S6,379, and
L 1isoopalians seventh, with 4S0,5Sl.
The entire Protestant Ohur rich me mber-
ship is placed at 12.0lS,977. OF the
gains Of the last four years the Metho.
dists are to bs credited with more
than one.half the ministers
and with onethird Of the
churches and membership. the
! growth Of this body is enormous, II
having arisen within 100 yeara from a
m membership Of $4,000 to 4,5S2 65S al
the close OF last year. The churches
} that are under the Episcopal form Of
/ Sovernment are Catholics, Episcopa
lians, Methodists and Moravians
= their combined memberships sggre.
= eating ll,7S7,77S. Toe congregational
3 polity includes BlptiSts, Congregation
i slists, Adventists, Friends and som,
3 minor divisions Of the Methodists
n with an aggregate membership o
4 4620,4l2. Under the Presbyterian
. form come the various Presbyterian
Q b dies, as we'll as the Lutherans an,
a Aennonities, with . membership O
II l9,7l0.6S3. Christians Of whAteVe
/ name or creed will rejoice over thes,
Q statistics, proving - they do that til
g growth Of church membership keep
e pace with the growth OF the populs
= ton, the rApidity Of which astonishe
y 20 other people more than 1t doe
l. ourselves But there Is still 80, 000, 90
ID out oil the 60,0OO,0OO, more thai
g one'halI that are non-professing o
le merely nominal Christians, if they ar
y to be considered Christians in an,
- sense within the limitations OF tn
~ cfeedI Tnirty-two millions of mel
N and women who are dlstinctivsly in
tt d herent or are opposed 10 Christian
Il IVY That is an awful leaven OF doubt
IL tremendous power Of skepticisn,
- very broad basis OF free though
~ create, as 1t is, than all the creeds pa
as together